Alan Rickman and his iconic villain Hans Gruber needs no introduction. It is one of the greatest villain portrayals in Hollywood, and it is all because of Rickman’s absolute commitment to the role.
This commitment went far beyond just acting. In fact, he performed many of his stunts on his own. But ‘Die Hard’ almost lost its iconic villain because, during his first shoot, he sustained a severe injury that left him unable to perform any stunt work.
Alan Rickman Thought He Was “Out Of A Job” On His First Day On ‘Die Hard’
Alan Rickman’s first day on the set of ‘Die Hard’ took a dangerous turn because of one particular stunt. During filming the memorable sequence where Hans Gruber first comes face-to-face with John McClane, Rickman had to jump from a three-foot-high ledge before pretending to be a terrified Nakatomi employee with a flawless American accent.
Related: The Deleted Story Behind How John McClane Actually Recognized Hans Gruber In ‘Die Hard’
Talking about that time, Rickman remembered how intimidating that first day was. “It was late at night and tense and noisy, and it was my first shot. So that was living dangerously,” he recalled.
Things took a turn when the jump went very poorly, and Rickman ripped the cartilage on his knee. After examining him, the doctor warned, “You may have torn a ligament. If you have, you’re out of action for six months.”
Rickman hadn’t even completed a scene yet. Still dressed as Hans Gruber, he had one request: “Could you pull the trouser leg down over that splint thing?” and then he simply went back to filming.
Throughout that conversation between Gruber and McClane, apparently Rickman was standing almost entirely on one leg since the doctor warned him not to put any weight on the injured leg. Although the injury ultimately proved less serious and he recovered relatively quickly, Rickman admitted that at the time he genuinely believed he was “out of a job.”
The Dangerous Stunts Of ‘Die Hard’ Never Failed To Push Rickman To His Limits
Fortunately, Rickman wasn’t out of a job at all. Instead, he remained fully committed to ‘Die Hard’, and his feature film debut instantly launched him into one of the most beloved actors in the industry.
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Rickman’s early experiences with stunts didn’t stop him from continuing to perform many of his own stunts after that. Most famously, he performed Gruber’s unforgettable fall from the top of Nakatomi Plaza.
To capture a genuine expression from the actor, at the time the filmmakers secretly plotted to drop Rickman before the countdown had finished. He later joked how the production team intentionally scheduled the famous drop on his very last day on the film so that if something had gone wrong, they would have still had a complete movie.
Rickman’s journey on ‘Die Hard’, from the first day to the very last, never failed to bring the most dangerous surprises.
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